Mile Sur Mera Tumhara....lost forever.....

"Mile Sur Mera Tumhara...toh Sur Bane Hamara,
Sur ki nadiyan, har disha se behte saagar mein mile,
Baadalon ka rup lekar, barse halke halke......
Mile Sur Mera Tumhara......"

Many of us would remember, the initiative by Doordarshan, in the year 1988(the then sole broadcaster of Indian TV) on National Integration. This soul stirring song & the video had made us proud & wet in the eyes then, going onto gaining nation wide popularity. Many popular artists had lend their voice & many popular sports dignitaries, movie stars etc had performed in the video.
Yesterday, morning, the news on the sad demise of the music maestro Bhimsen Joshi, brought back memories of this song again.

He had been unwell for a while now, & finally passed away in the early hours yesterday, leaving behind a legacy, a gap, which will probably never be fulfilled.
An institution by himself in Indian classical music, Bhimsen ji would be long remembered for his ability to make classical music sound easy & mellifluous to the common man. He would sing difficult Ragas with such effortless ease, that lesser beings like us would simply gape in wonder.
His first major public performance was at a tender age of 19 yrs, and first recording at 22yrs, & he continued to mesmerise the world of music lovers all over for more than six decades. While he was popularly known to be an exponent of "Kirana Gharana", he also performed in various forms of music like Bhajans, Dadra, Thumri etc. Today, people talk of Bhimsen Gharana.....as a tribute to his musical capabilities.
A humble soul that he was, his love for music was closely matched by his passion for fast cars, & he would undertake long drives, the longest being from Pune to Kolkata to attend a musical concert. ( How coincidental & interesting....I too have driven from Pune to Kolkata...all alone).

In 1972, he was conferred with Padma Shree & later in 2008, he was given the Bharat Ratna award...the highest civilian award for any Indian.
The legendary voice is gone.....an era ends......
The Sur which had united millions across the country, is now heavenly abode. Hindustani Classical music will miss the maestro called Bhimsen Joshi....

May he rest in eternal peace, but stay alive in our hearts for ever.......

Need a break....plssss

"Ladies & Gentlemen....welcome to the Indira Gandhi International airport Delhi.....the outside temperature is 3 degrees Celsius.......We wish you a wonderful stay.....We look forward to serving you again......" the flight attendant's voice is quite a jarr, as the aircraft lumbers slowly on the tarmac & comes to a halt.
Early morning flights are always a toll on the sleep.....The groggy eyes struggle to open, as seat belts click open all around.....there seems to be a commotion of everyone trying to collect their belongings & queue to move out in a hurry.
Almost reluctantly I get up & remove the laptop from the overhead locker, wading into the crowd. The outside chill slaps on the face as I step out & I pull the coat closer, trying to beat the cold breeze.....its biting cold. Delhi has been witnessing a cold wave for the past few days, & today seems to be the coldest. I was not prepared for this.
After collecting the luggage from the conveyer belt, I head to the cafetaria.....the smell of steaming coffee along with a hot pattice is pulsating & energising. Quickly knotting the tie I get into the waiting cab....time to proceed for the meetings. Its going to be a long day ahead.
The mind is caught up in so many thoughts.....bombarding relentlessly.....
Work has been rather tedious & difficult over the last few weeks.....Team mates have been poor performers on one pretext or the other........results have been slow & clients more than demanding. Its been nerve jangling & mood sapping, to say the least. At a time when the economy is booming, such a stutter becomes very frustrating to manage.
Hard decisions taken at office.......two colleagues had to be shown the door. Heart wrenching, but necessary.
The day is full of extended meetings, leaving almost no time for lunch......occasional coffee keeps fighting the outside cold, as the body & the mind aches for rest.
By the time I wrap up the day's schedule, its already time to rush back to the airport. The return flight is delayed, & the food available is just lousy, adding to the agony. By the time I land in Mumbai, its going to be past 2.00am.

Need a break......plssssss